The Building Coder

Pernickety Blogging

Some important, some less important and some absolutely pernickety recommendations on perfecting API-related blog posts... Read more →

Docs, Lookup, MEP Calculation and APS DevCon

Good news on APS and the Revit API for the weekend – APS DevCon in Munich and SF – Forma for AEC – RevitApiDocs supports Revit 2024 – RevitLookup 2024.0.8 – User MEP calculation 2024 – Wastewater pipe calculation – The password game... Read more →

Unit Testing and Arc Dimensioning

Revit add-in unit testing is becoming much more accessible, and now yet another toolkit is here. We also clarify function and accessability of various Autodesk APIs and SDKs, look at programmatic dimensioning of circles in Revit and a minimalist secure file sharing tool – Revit add-in unit testing – API versus SDK – Arc dimensioning – Rotate your file... Read more →

News Reel, Roadmap and RevitLookup Updates

More news and updates related to Revit 2024, and some little titbits on AI and literature: – News reel and AEC roadmaps – Revit API training – RevitLookup 2024 updates – Free Dolly open-source instruction-tuned LLM – Websites powered by AI – Walkaway by Cory Doctorow... Read more →

Lookup Ideas, Jigs and ACC Docs Access

A request for new ideas for enhancing RevitLookup, implementing a pickpoint rubber band and opening BIMs on ACC Docs – Request for RevitLookup ideas – Transient elements for jig – Opening a model in ACC Docs – Stop using JPEG – Stop using voice id... Read more →

Revit 2023 API Docs and Disabling an Error Failure

We continue updating all systems the new release and take a deep dive into the mysteries and pitfalls of the Failure API – RevitApiDocs support for Revit 2023 – Migrating add-ins to Revit 2023 – Disable failure with error severity... Read more →

Refreshment, Cloud Model Path, Angle and Direction

An example of real-time live graphical user input feedback, cloud model functionality, the ever important need to regenerate and other important topics for this holiday day – Line angle and direction jig – Determine cloud model local file path – How to refresh GroupType.Groups – Online access to RevitAPI.chm help files – C++/C# frontend engineer... Read more →

Forge, RevitApiDocs, Materials and Stacked Items

Here are some exciting Forge, Revit API and other topics for today – Forge online training in April 2021 – RevitApiDocs support for Revit 2021 – Welcome, AEC BIM Tools – Visual materials API in Dynamo – 24x24 stacked ribbon items – Innovative drone fly-through film... Read more →

Onbox, DirectContext Jig and No CDN

Autumnal topics for this week – The Onbox cross-platform Revit API framework – DirectContext rectangle jig – Creating reports from AutoCAD and Revit – RevitApiDocs statistics – Stop using JavaScript CDN... Read more →

Revit 2021 Cloud Model API

A nice big egg has been laid just in time for Easter, with the beautiful springtime in full bloom – Revit 2021 – BIM 360 Docs folder permission API – Revit 2021 multi-region cloud model API – Cloud model API changes – How to open a cloud model – How to save a local file to a non-workshared cloud model – SaveAsCloudModel information in web browser and via the Forge DM API... Read more →

Initiating BIM360 Collaboration and Linking

Today, we look at a couple of BIM360 and cloud related issues – Programmatically initiating BIM360 collaboration – Setting up external references in BIM360 Docs – Jay Zallan the text terminator – Free for developers – Tracks on the Internet – Quantum computers explained... Read more →

TestRunner – Run Unit Tests in Revit

A new Revit add-in unit testing framework, a short note on support assembly locations, and an article on importing PDF files – Revit.TestRunner runs unit tests in Revit – Getting started with TestRunner – Unconfusing support assemblies – Importing PDFs made easy... Read more →

Starter Kit, Books and Music

A search for Revit API related books, a very nice new Revit API starter kit, a richer and much more complex literary AI-related book, and a quick bottleneck steel guitar blues recording not related with any technical topic whatsoever – A very basic book on Revit API – Revit API starter kit – Machines like me – Bottleneck blues guitar... Read more →

What's New in the Revit 2020.1 API

Revit 2020.1 was released and an updated Revit SDK has now been published for it – Additions to the Revit 2020.1 API – Systems analysis API additions – Mechanical analytical systems – Zone equipment – System zones – Systems analysis and analysis reports – Export to gbXML – View API additions – Temporary view mode API – Schedule API additions – Striped rows – Path of travel API additions – Reveal obstacles mode for path of travel – Options API additions – Color options – Rebar API additions – Rebar constraints – Installation and compilation – RvtSamples Setup... Read more →

pyRevit Home and ApiDocs Code Sample Collection

Two exciting Revit API related news announcements from Ehsan Iran-Nejad and Gui Talarico – New comprehensive pyRevit home page – ApiDocs.co code search sample collection... Read more →

11 Years and Revit API Docs Full Text Search

Happy Birthday to The Building Coder! The online Revit API documentation now supports full text search. Dynamo implements a new ViewCone functionality... Read more →

Access BIM360 Cloud Links, Thumbnail and Dynamo

This post is somewhat overdue and hence rather full of various topics, mainly due to my struggles with my MacBook slowing to an unbearable crawl in the heat last week – Accessing BIM360 cloud links – Retrieve RVT preview thumbnail image with Python – Paolo's Dynamo primer and slide deck compendium – Slow MacBook with kernel_task using several 100% CPU – Failings of the political establishment... Read more →

AI, Boundaries, Loops and RevitApiDocs 2020

Yet another eagerly awaited update for the Revit 2020 API, a couple of interesting Revit API discussion forum threads, and some thoughts on how AI might affect and be used in an architectural context – RevitApiDocs updated with the Revit 2020 API – More room boundary segments than expected – How to get width and height of a CurveLoop – AI and architecture... Read more →

Register for DevDays Online

Revit API and Forge updates – keep up to date with the new enhancements by joining the upcoming webinars; also enjoy the fact that your Revit knowledge is a valuable skill – DevDays online schedule – Revit is one hot job skill... Read more →

Forge DevCon Keynote and BIM360 Model Access

The November Forge DevCon keynote address has been published. Fittingly, some new hints on accessing Revit models from BIM360 – Forge DevCon 2018 keynote – Accessing BIM360 models... Read more →

AutoCAD Architecture 2019 API Documentation

We need to migrate our tools to AutoCAD Architecture 2019. I see no information on the new API, although it has obviously been modified. Can you share a link? ... Read more →

BIM 360 Issues API

Today, I am presenting a class on Design Automation for Revit or DA4R and the BIM 360 Issues API at the German Autodesk University in Darmstadt. The first and main part is similar to yesterday's presentation at the Forge DevCon conference. Therefore, I will just share the BIM 360 slides here and now – Overview – Four types of issues – Permissions – Attachments – Assignee – Issues API – Get issues – Create issues – Issue type and root cause of field issue – Directly attach local files (photo) to issues – Pushpin Forge viewer extension – .NET core sample – Node.js samples – API Limitations... Read more →

Revit Add-In Locations and BIM360 EU

I am just getting ready to leave for Darmstadt, for the Forge DevCon and German Autodesk University. Here are some quick recent topics I want to share before jumping on the train – BIM 360 Docs API change for European data centre access – Revit add-in locations – Autodesk AppStore bundle format – Juli Zeh über das Turbo-Ich – YouTube video subtitles and auto-translation... Read more →

What's New in the Revit 2019.1 API

The Revit 2019.1 update has been released. It is equipped with an updated API that includes several exciting enhancements for add-in developers. Many relate directly to explicit developer wishes and requests – Information sources – What's new in previous versions – What's new in the Revit 2019.1 API – API Changes – API Additions... Read more →

Forge for AEC and BIM360 Overview

I am participating in a Digital Construction Live event in the UK next week and presenting there on Forge for the BIM domain. In preparation, I'll jot down some notes here on what I learned about this myself lately – Forge for AEC in Five Minutes – What do the Forge APIs do? – BIM360 – Connect the Docs – Overview – Packages – Platform and Subscriptions – Subscription Entitlements – Docs – Design – Glue – Build – Summary... Read more →

What’s New Webinar and Forge vs. A360

Following up on yesterday's discussion of What's New in the Revit 2019 API, here is a webinar invitation to walk through the results live from the product point of view. I also share a high-level comparison of some aspects of Forge versus A360 for a total newbie thinking about building a solution for a client to manage 3D models and collaborate on them with sub-contractors – Webinar on What’s New in Revit 2019 – Forge versus A360... Read more →

What's New in the Revit 2018.2 API

Let's discuss the Revit API enhancements added since the initial release of Revit 2018 – Revit 2018.2 Product Update and Resolved API Issues – Revit 2018.2 SDK Update – Major Additions to the Revit 2018.1 API – Material API additions – Geometry API additions – BrowserOrganization API additions – IFC additions – Rebar API additions – Major Additions to the Revit 2018.2 API – Fabrication API additions... Read more →

ADN Xtra Labs and API Changes since Revit 2013

As usual, I am answering Revit API cases and maintaining the documentation and training material. What I really should be doing is preparing my upcoming class for Autodesk University in Darmstadt. Here are some of the things I dealt with today – API changes from Revit 2013 to Revit 2017 – ADN Xtra Revit API Labs for Revit 2018 – Access to modified combo box setting... Read more →

Revit 2018.1.1 API Docs and CropBox Setting

The Revit 2018.1.1 hotfix was released last week and solves an API issue that was already being discussed in the Revit API discussion forum. Further, Gui Talarico updated the online Revit API documentation for Revit 2018.1 – Revit and Revit LT 2018.1.1 released – CropBox setting in Revit 2018 API fixed – CropBox setting workaround – Revit 2018.1 API documentation online... Read more →

Women Coders, Forge and Revit API Docs Updates

Updates on Revit 2017, Revit 2018, and above all our treasured Revit API Docs. Plus, the clock is running now on two Forge enhancements. Finally, notes on DevCon, AU, female coders and the Women Who Code conference – Revit 2018 added to Revit API Docs – Revit 2018.0.1 hot fix – Revit 2017.2.1 update – Forge scopes enforcement by May 22 – Forge View and Data API countdown – Forge DevCon call for speakers is open – Autodesk University call for proposals – Five Autodeskers speak at Women Who Code... Read more →

Revit API Docs 2.0 Beta

Gui Talarico created an extremely useful online version of the contents of the Revit API help file RevitAPI.chm. It sports significant advantages over the locally hosted Windows help file – Online access from anywhere, any platform, OS, device – Share links to specific topics for discussion with peers – Covers and compares between multiple versions of the Revit API; During the expansion cover Revit 2017.1, Gui implemented a number of other significant enhancements... Read more →

Virtuous Reproduction, Research, Settings, Ontology

I have probably asked developers for reproducible cases a couple of thousand times by now. Let's discuss that and also return to the topic of how to research a Revit API problem in general. Finally, I'll point out a Revit 2017 API MEP electrical feature. Oh, and I continued my research into deep learning for a Revit API question answering system – Creating a reproducible case may well solve the issue at hand – How to research to find a Revit API solution – Access to cable tray and conduit settings – Getting started implementing a question answering system – First impression from IBM Bluemix – Open source QAS options – Building a Revit API ontology... Read more →

BIM 360, Docs, Issues, Forge, DevDay and Accelerator

Good news on BIM 360 itself, Docs, Issues, and high time to prepare for the DevDay conference and accelerator next week – BIM 360 and C4R Success Story – Forge Web Services – BIM 360 Docs – The Forge Issues Service API – 24 Forge DevCon Presentation Recordings – Forge Hackathon Webinar Series Recordings – DevDay Europe and Forge Accelerator in Munich... Read more →

Token Expiry and Online Revit API Docs

My vacation ended and I am now in Porto, putting the last touches to my presentation material for the RTC Revit Technology Conference Europe and the ISEPBIM Forge and BIM workshops at ISEP, Porto University. Here are today's Revit API and Forge news items – Updated Online Revit API Docs – Handling Forge token expiry... Read more →

MacroManager, Materials and Getting Started

I am answering Revit API discussion forum threads and developer cases like crazy. Instead, as usual at this time of the year, I should be focussing and putting higher priority on the exciting upcoming events. I keep promising myself to do so and stop answering cases. Then I address just one more... Here are some of the upcoming events and recent Revit API issues – Events – Forge Accelerators, DevDay, RTC and AU – Accessing the MacroManager to Delete Document Macros – Getting Started and Changing the Colour of a Wall – Getting Started and Using the Visual Studio Revit Add-In Wizard Auto-Installer... Read more →

Trusted Signature Motivation and Fishing

Topics for today – How does code signing of Revit add-ins increase security? – What happened to LoadCaseArray? – How and where to search for help on a Revit API question? – Dynamo 1.1 Update... Read more →

DLL Signature, BIM 2 in UK and AutoCAD.NET

A couple of quick topics to start the week – Add-in DLL signature – BIM 2 in the UK – Communication between AutoCAD and Revit... Read more →

BIM 360 Docs, Add-In Folders, Stallman and Abc

I am going to the University of Bern this afternoon to listen to Richard Stallman speak For A Free Digital Society. Here are some other recent and not-so-recent topics – BIM 360 Docs – Richard Stallman in Switzerland – Is the abc conjecture proven? – Add-In Folders – BIM 360 Docs is the new Autodesk platform for construction document management. It provides web services to ensure that the entire project team is always building from the correct version of documents, plans, and models... Read more →